The present invention generally relates to programmable hearing aids and, more particularly, to methods, techniques, apparatus, systems and devices for programming such programmable hearing aids.
Many individuals have hearing deficiencies. These hearing deficiencies can range from profound deafness to hearing losses which prevent the individuals from hearing sounds easily and which may prevent the understanding of speech. While there are many physiological reasons for hearing deficiencies, the usual correction available is to amplify and filter the auditory environment so that the individual can hear and, hopefully, understand more of the sounds, including speech, that the individual wishes to hear.
Auditory prostheses to ameliorate hearing losses in non-profoundly deaf individuals are well known in the art, commonly called hearing aids. These hearing aids typically are worn by the individual in a case that is carried by an ear piece behind the ear (typically called a "BTE" device), in a case that is physically placed at least partially in the external ear canal (typically called an "ITE" device) or in a case which can be physically placed within the external ear canal (typically called an "ITC" device). While these hearing aids may differ in physical size and differ in placement, they are common in their ability to amplify the auditory environment to enhance the hearing ability of the individual. Typically a hearing aid, in its most rudimentary form, includes a microphone for converting environmental sounds into an electrical signal, an amplifier for amplifying the electrical signal and a receiver (hearing aid parlance for a loudspeaker) for converting the amplified electrical signal back into a sound for delivery to the individual's ear.
Typically, an individual's hearing loss is not uniform over the entire frequency spectrum of hearing. An individual's hearing loss may be greater at higher frequencies than at lower frequencies, typical of noise induced high frequency hearing loss. Also, the degree of loss at the higher frequencies varies with individuals and the frequency at which the loss begins also varies. The measurement by which an individual's hearing loss, or, put conversely, the individual's hearing ability, is called an audiogram. A hearing health professional, typically an audiologist or an otolaryngologist, will measure the individual's perceptive ability for differing sound frequencies and differing sound amplitudes. The hearing health professional may then plot the resulting information in an amplitude/frequency diagram which graphically represents the individual's hearing ability, and, hence, the individual's hearing loss as compared with normal hearing individuals. The audiogram, then, is a graphical representation of the particular auditory characteristics of the individual. Of course, the particular auditory characteristics of the individual could also be represented in tabular form or other non-graphical form.
Since different individuals have differing hearing losses (and, hence, hearing abilities), hearing aids typically are made to be adjustable to compensate for the hearing deficiency of the individual user. Typically, the adjustment involves an adjustable filter, used in conjunction with the amplifier, for modifying the amplifying characteristics of the hearing aids. Some typical hearing aids are adjustable by physically turning screws or thumb-wheels to adjust potentiometers or capacitors to modify the auditory characteristics, e.g., filtering characteristics, of the hearing aid.
More recently, programmable hearing aids have become well known. A programmable hearing aid typically has a digital control section which stores an auditory parameter, or set of auditory parameters, which control a particular aspect, or aspects, of the signal processing characteristics of the hearing aid and has a signal processing section, which may be analog or digital, which operates in response to the control section to perform the actual signal processing, or amplification. In some hearing aids, the control section may have the ability to store a plurality of sets of auditory parameters which the individual or other device may select for use. An example of this type of programmable hearing aid is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,481, Mansgold [sic] et al, Programmable Signal Processing Device, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Other examples of hearing aids which can be programmed are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,082, Engebretson et al, Hearing Aids, Signal Supplying Apparatus, Systems for Compensating Hearing Deficiencies, and Methods.
With the advent of programmable hearing aids, apparatus was needed in order to program the aids. The programming systems and methods known in the art have generally taken a couple of forms.
In one form, the programming system and method is located remote from the individual who would like to use the hearing aid, typically at a common site of the manufacturer. This system and method, common in the industry, is for the hearing aid dispenser (the hearing health professional responsible for fitting the hearing aid to the individual) to take an audiogram of the individual and to send the audiogram, perhaps with other pertinent information, to the manufacturer of the hearing aid along with an order for the hearing aid. The manufacturer may then select the appropriate hearing aid circuit with the appropriate frequency response. Alternatively, the manufacturer may take a stock hearing aid and adjust, or otherwise "program" the hearing aid, at the factory to compensate for the individual's hearing deficiency. The manufacturer, when the selection, adjustment or programming of the hearing aid is complete, may then send the hearing aid to the dispenser. The dispenser may then deliver the programmed hearing aid to the individual. Any changes in the selection, adjustment or programming of the hearing aid, of course, must be accomplished either by sending the hearing aid back to the manufacturer or ordering a new hearing aid from the manufacturer. This process is time consuming and, typically, results in many hearing aids being returned to the manufacturer increasing the individual customer's costs and level of frustration.
In another form, the programming system and method is located at the location of the hearing health professional near the individual who would like to use the hearing aid. Typically this site is remote from the manufacturer. In the commercial embodiment of the hearing aid described in the Mansgold [sic] patent, namely the "MemoryMate.TM." brand hearing aid marketed by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn. (3M), the assignee of this application, this apparatus takes the form of a general purpose computer loaded with specific software to perform the programming function (MemoryMate is a trademark of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company.). The computer is connected to the "MEMORYMATE.TM." hearing aid by means of an interface unit directly hard-wired to the computer and coupled by electrical cord to the "MEMORYMATE.TM." hearing aid. This programming system is known commercially as the "Master-Fit.TM." programming system and is available from 3M. (Master-Fit is a trademark of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company.) In performing the programming function, the hearing health professional inputs the individual's audiogram into the computer, allows the computer to calculate the auditory parameters for the hearing aid which are optimal for certain listening situations for the individual in view of the hearing deficiency of the individual. The computer then directly programs the hearing aid through the directly connected interface unit.
This last system and method of programming the programmable hearing aids is quick and efficient for the individual user of the hearing aid. The dispenser can stock the programmable hearing aid in his office. When the customer arrives, the audiogram may be taken, either directly from the individual or from records from previous visits, entered into the computer and the hearing aid programmed immediately. The hearing aid may then be tried on the individual during this fitting process and readjusted, i.e., reprogrammed, immediately during this visit. The result is a system and method of programming hearing aids which minimizes the customer's waiting time and delivers a programmed hearing aid which actually works for the customer "the first time." This also results in fewer returns of hearing aids from the dispenser to the manufacturer due to incorrect selection, adjustment or programming. This last system and method of programming, however, does result in fewer sites being available to dispense the hearing aid. This is due to the large cost of the programming system (computer and associated software), the space which this system takes up in the dispenser's office and the specialized technical knowledge needed to operate the system.